Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud.

First published in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2, 1: 564 (1840)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Canada to NE. Mexico. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40-75 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15-40 cm long; 3-7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy on both sides.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf. Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; effuse; 25-45 cm long; 15-30 cm wide; 0.66 of culm length. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 9-15 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; straight; scabrous; bearded in axils. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 7-11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 5-7 mm long; 1.5-2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 7-11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 5-7 mm long; 1.5-2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.4-2 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.6-2.2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 1.8-2.2 mm long; chartaceous; purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.8 mm long; dark brown.
Distribution
North America: eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Gr Texas 1994.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0